Counter measuring device.



N0. 7l4,2|9. Patented Nov. 25, I902.

J. C. W. MEYER.

coumer: MEASURING DEVICE.

(Application filed. Feb. 21, 1902.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN 0. WILLIAM MEYER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

COUNTER MEASURING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,219, dated November 25, 1902.

Application filed February 21, 1902. Serial No. 95,081- (No model.)

To all whom, it ntay concern.-

Be it known that I,J OHN CHARLES WILLIAM MEYER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Counter Measuring Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to a device which'is countersunk in the top of a table or counter over which narrow dry goods of the form of tape, ribbon, lace, and other material of narrow width-is sold; and it consists of a series of pivoted pins which may be elevated to a vertical position and when so elevated will be held by a suitable spring and may also be turned or depressed until they are flush with the top of the table or counter. The upright pins are arranged at a suitable distance apart to measure a yard or any desired fraction thereof and are operated by winding the tape or other goods around and around the said pins, the distance between the pins multiplied by the number of times the goods are wound about them indicating the amount of goods measured. These ends are attained in the following manner.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of the left-hand pin, showing the pin turned down. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through Fig. 1, showing the pin turned down; Fig. 3, a side elevation showing the pin raised to its vertical position; Fig. 4, a top view of the right-hand pin, showing the pin turned down flush with the top. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the center of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the righthand pin, showing a pin raised to its vertical position. Fig. 7 is a plan of a counter or table top, showing my improved measuring device applied thereto.

The device consists, essentially, of a horizontal plate 1, which is mortised into the top of the counter and held in position by suitable screws. Hinged in the center of the plate 1 is a pivoted pin 2, which swings on the pivot 3, secured in projections 4:, extending from beneath the plate 1. A flat spring 5 is secured into projections or grooves in the bottom of plate 1 and presses against the un- .case may be.

der side of the pin 2 in such a mannerthat when the pin 2 is either in its horizontal position or vertical position, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the tension on the spring 5 is Weakest. The end of the pin 2 is notched to form a hooked portion 6, which projects out over a shallow depression 7 in the top of the plate 1 and serves the purpose of enabling the finger to catch the end of the pin 2 and raise the same.

So far the description of the mechanical construction of the hinged pin for the right and the left hand sides is the same; but a difference in their construction is made in the following points: On the left-hand pin (see Figs. 2 and 3) there is a narrow V-shaped opening 8 near the plate 1, and on the righthand pin 2 there is a small lateral projection 9 at the upper end. (See Figs. 5 and 6.) Across the top of the plates 1 there extends a line 10, which line is placed even with the edge of pin 2 when in its upright position. The right and left hand plates 1 are mounted in the counter so that the line 10 will be exactly one yard apart or any desired fraction of a yard, and in operation the device is used as follows:

One end of the tape or other goods to be measured is inserted in the narrow V-shaped slot 8. The goods are then passed around the upright finger 2 on the right-hand plate, carried to the left, passed around the upright pin 2 on the left-hand plate, and so on, as many times around as desired, each time the goods extend between one upright pin and the other measuring one yard or less, as the when not in use, the upright pins 2 are turned down in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 1, and 5 and are entirely out of the way and form no obstruction to the counter.

If desired, more than one right-hand pattern of the upright pin 2 may be used. For

instance, there may be the left-hand and right-hand pins placed at the quarter-of-yard, another at the half-yard, and others at any suitable fractions thereof.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a counter measuring device, the combination with a plurality of plates, of pivoted pins mounted in said plates, and means for holding said pins in their operative and inoperative positions respectively, substantially as described. 7

2. In a counter measuring device, the combination with a plurality of plates, of pivoted pins mounted in said plates, and yielding means for holding said pins in their operative and inoperative positions respectively, substantially as described.

3. In a counter measuring device, the combination with a plurality of slotted plates, of pivoted pins mounted in said plates, said pins being adapted to stand in an upright position when operative, and lay flush with the tops of said plates when inoperative, and yielding means for holding said pins in their operative and inoperative positions, substantially as described.

4. In a counter measuring device, the combination with a plurality of slotted plates, of pivoted pins mounted in said plates, said pins being adapted to stand in an upright position when operative, and lay flush with the tops of said plates when inoperative, securing means on one of said pins for holding the goods to be measured, and means on the ends of the other of said pins for preventing the displacement of the goods being measured, substantially as described.

5. In a counter measuring device, the combination with a plurality of slotted plates, of pivoted pins mounted in said plates, said pins being adapted to stand in an upright position when operative, and lay flush with the tops of said plates when inoperative, yielding means for holding said pins in their operative and inoperative positions respectively, secur ing means on one of said pins for holding the goods to be measured, and means on the other of said pins for preventing the displacement of the goods being measured, substantially as described.

6. In a counter measuring device, the combination with a plurality of plates, of pivoted pins mounted in said plates, said pins being adapted to stand in an upright position when operative and lay flush with the tops of said plates when inoperative, yielding means for holding said pins in their operative and inoperative positions respectively, and reduced portions in said plates over which the free ends of said pins lay when inoperative, substantially as described,

7. In a counter measn ring device, the combination with a plurality of slotted plates, of pivoted pins mounted in said plates, said pins being adapted to stand in an upright position when operative and lay flush with the tops of said plates when inoperative, yielding means for holding said plates in their operative and inoperative positions, recesses in said plates over which the free ends of said pins lay when inoperative, means on one of said pins for holding the goods to be measured, and means on the other of said pins for preventing the displacement of the goods being measured, substantially as described.

' J. 0. WILLIAM MEYER.

Witnesses:

M. L. SAMUELS, Gno. B. TEASDA LE. 

